On July 17, I married my partner in a private ceremony overlooking Emerald Bay. It was a beautiful, simple ceremony that allowed us to focus on each other rather than everyone else. We invited two friends to join us, along with our pup (of course). It was a perfectly lovely day that allowed us to truly enjoy making a commitment to one another without worrying about if everyone was having a good time. We ended the evening with a moon lit dance under the stars (she's so damn romantic!) to some of our favorite songs (Brandi Carlile, Mat Kearney and a few other talented musicians who take us back to our very first weekend together). I couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate my love for her.

If you had asked me five years ago I would have never expected my life would come so far and change so much. Growing up in a Catholic family (where family was modeled by the traditional/biblical husband and wife), I never allowed myself to explore outside of those boundaries. I knew for a long time that something wasn't right, that I didn't quite fit the "mold," but I didn't allow myself to even think about it. Years later and many lessons learned, I finally came to terms with who I was, and lucky for me this amazing woman wanted to be a part of my life. In the past four years, I have grown so much and changed so many things about my life that I never thought possible. I have taken so many risks and pursued my passion for art, and I couldn't have done it without the love and support of this incredible woman. Thank you beautiful.